After reading the article titled ‘’ by NIAC’s Reza Marashi who identifies himself as a former Iran desk officer at the U.S. State Department, I failed to see exactly what ‘lessons learned’ are being presented following release of thousands of the not-so-diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks — an act that the writer repeatedly labels as an “inexcusable security breach” throughout his treatise.
While condemning the leaks as an “unprecedented violation” and “illegal act” that has put the lives of many U.S. diplomats including some of author’s former colleagues in harm’s way, they’re credited for exposing the ruse of both Bush and Obama administrations seeking a diplomatic solution with Iran and Mr. Marashi himself is quick to admit that Obama’s change of ‘tactics’, [which included co-opting NIAC], was only to build a consensus for imposing more severe sanctions on Iran.
Instead of rebuking those who intentionally misled him, Mr. Marashi reserves his harshest criticism for the messenger who has merely exposed the lies and dishonesty of his former superiors in the State Department and delivered where others in the press have miserably failed or refused to do at the expense of the misinformed public.
It is important to remember that contrary to what Mr. Marashi and others claim; nothing Wikileaks has done is illegal. Julian Assange is not an American citizen and does not reside in any U.S. territory and thus not subject to American law. Of course the word ‘illegal’ has been so severely perverted by its propagandists to mean anything that the U.S. government disapproves. A person committing such acts is summarily defined as a criminal and denied any due process or trial.
No government likes having its secrets revealed and there’s nothing wrong with aggressively defending national security. But a democratic society requires an informed citizenry that does not blindly accept everything the government says and its subservient media repeats. And because of that leaks like these are necessary because they’re our instrument of last resort for bringing some accountability to those in power.
